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The prologue opens in 1796 Britain as five sailors stand in a sunny field near the Portsmouth harbor. Two prepare to duel to the death. A third, David Archer, watches. The ship's surgeon and the purser stand with him. The shooters stand back-to-back: burly Mr. Correy and pale 18 year-old Will Marshall. Correy's sexual advances have provoked Will into challenging him. The men stride ten paces apart and then turn and fire their pistols. Correy topples over dead. In that moment, David falls in love with his friend Will. Correy molested David years ago; now he feels avenged. But then he feels fear and frustration. Obviously he can't voice his feelings or Will might be inclined to shoot him as well. In this time and place, homosexuality is a capital crime. Chapter 1 returns to Portsmouth three years later. Lieutenant Will Marshall and Midshipman David Archer, both serving aboard the frigate Calypso under Captain Smith, have seen serious action on the high seas against the French. Now they're putting into port for repairs. David still hides his hopeless love for his best friend. This is a serious problem, but it's about to get worse. As David, Will, and their captain return from dinner at an inn, brigands seize their coach and drive it to the waterfront. The three officers fight back. But they are subdued and taken aboard a pirate ship. In unknown waters, they meet their captor, a psychopath named Adrian. He commands Captain Smith to write a letter to the authorities, asking for a high ransom. Obviously Adrian has abducted people before. Captain Smith is beside himself with righteous indignation: are the pirates unaware that there's a war on? How dare they interfere with the defense of England against the French? David and Will get separated from Captain Smith and confined in a small cabin together. Then David is ordered to clean himself up and have dinner with Adrian. He expects the pirate captain to question him, fishing for military secrets to sell to the French. But Adrian propositions him instead: he expects David to keep him sexually satisfied while they wait for the ransom. Shocked, David refuses him. But Adrian has guessed the intensity of his feelings for his best friend. The pirate captain has Will dragged on deck and flogged in front of David, Captain Smith, and the crew. Adrian sends a clear message to David: defiance will condemn Will to suffer increasingly harsh punishment. So David must go along with Adrian's wishes. (This is implied and sensitively handled; you never see any scenes of nonconsensual sex.) Meanwhile, the three captives pick up enough clues from their environment to piece together their whereabouts. Adrian's scheme, slowly revealed, proves ingenious. But Captain Smith, a scene-stealing character, is a match for Adrian. Crisp, dignified, and persistently courteous, Smith is a vivid and commanding presence. The pirates who guard him immediately begin addressing him as "sir." Perhaps some can be recruited to help him take the ship! Meanwhile, Will and David work on an escape plan. Each evening David gets summoned to Adrian's quarters; he never speaks of the encounters, but nightmares result. Horrified, Will starts to piece together what must be going on. When sudden passion ignites between David and Will, it creates a poignant dimension to an already exciting adventure story: now they have so much more to live for, and so much more to lose! Here at ObsidianBookshelf.com, I have to say that Ransom is a good novel. The author's extensive knowledge of history and nautical customs weaves seamlessly throughout the action, transporting you to another world while never slowing the pace. Fans of historical novels will find much here to enjoy. |
Ransom by Lee Rowan
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